Managing equipment failures: nursing practice requirements for meeting the challenges of the Safe Medical Devices Act.

The Safe Medical Devices Act (SMDA) has two major effects for the user facilities: the reporting of specific medical device-related incidents and the tracking of medical devices through the user facility. As the final ruling becomes effective in 1996, it is imperative that healthcare professionals take an active role in identifying the effects of the SMDA and the impact that it poses on healthcare facilities. This article supports nursing's role in developing a medical device tracking process. Included in the overall plan to promote the user supporting system successfully are such ideas as employee education about medical equipment safety, development of unit-based medical device resource materials for employees to access, and promotion of the steps for reporting a medical device malfunction.